College Indoor Track and FieldPhipps Rider Record in Weight ThrowSolujich Rider Record in Shot Put

Rider University Men 105, TCNJ 66Rider University Women 98, TCNJ 66

LAWRENCEVILLE-The Rider University men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in a dual meet against The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) Saturday night at Lawrenceville Prep.

The Rider women defeated TCNJ 98-66 and the Bronc men won 105-66.

For the Rider women, senior Rhea Phipps (Basking Ridge/Ridge) won the weight throw with a Rider record and ECAC qualifying distance of 17.98m (59 feet). The record was formerly held by Olympian Jazmine Fenlator at 57’11.75 feet. Fenlator will be competing as a member of the United States women’s bobsled team this month at the 22nd Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

“I just know I broke an Olympian’s record so I’m pretty happy about that,” Phipps said, “Since last year I’ve wanted to break that record, but I also knew I need to focus on helping the team win. The win comes first and my hope was the record would come second. Thank God it did tonight. My season has been up and down. Last week in Boston I fell off a little bit so I got back to practice hard, doing drill after drill. That’s why I was able to do what I did tonight.”

Phipps also won the shot put, reaching 11.81m

“It’s awesome for Rhea (Phipps),” Rider coach Bob Hamer said, “It’s been a longtime coming for her, but for her to do it like this is just great. It’s a huge weight off her shoulders and she broke the record of one of Rider’s all-time greats. I’m sure Jazmine (Fenlator) will be smiling in Sochi.”

Also in attendance to watch Phipps set the new mark was the Bronc men’s and women’s swimming and diving team, which came out as a group to support their Rider Athletics counterparts.

“It’s awesome to see the swimming and diving teams come out on a Saturday night to support us,” said Hamer. “I give them a lot of credit especially for doing it on their own volition. I think it says a lot about the camaraderie of the athletic department at Rider.”

For the Rider men, junior George Solujich set a Rider record, winning the shot put (16.57m) in IC4A qualifying distance.

“The throws group really stepped up tonight and brought a lot of energy to the beginning of the meet,” Hamer said. “We got our two records from that category. Coach (Robert) Golabeck is doing a real nice job and the athletes are really responding.”

Also for the Rider women, sophomore La'tazah Coleman (Middletown, Del./Appoquinimink) was first the 55-meter dash in 7.22, junior Ashley Edwards (Westfield) was first the 200 meter dash (26.83), sophomore Olivia Rosenberger (North Wales Pa./Gwynedd Mercy Academy) was first in the long jump (5.35m), junior Josephine Boyle (Pleasant Valley, N.Y./Arlington) was first in the 3000 run (10:52.62), junior Emily Ritter (Millsboro, Del./Sussex Tech) won the 800 meter (2:21.90), senior Lauryn Strebeck (Dayton/South Brunswick) won the triple jump (11.69m) and sophomore Miranda Roberts (Sewell/Washington Twp.) was first in the pole vault (3.15m).

“We started slow on the track but things heated up quickly,” Hamer said, “The women horizontal jumpers had a great meet. Olivia (Rosenberger) and Lauryn (Strebeck) had a great meet. They’re getting better each week and are ready for a big breakthrough. We have a lot of injuries on the women’s side and we’re missing a lot of key performers. Prior to the meet we challenged the women to step up and do what was necessary to win the meet. I was real pleased with how they responded. They showed some heart and character today. We need that to compete for championships.”

The men’s 4x200 meter relay team of Higgins, Asamoah, Baptiste and junior David Prater (Columbus/Northern Burlington Regional) won in 1:30.91.

The women’s 4x200 meter relay team of sophomore Johanna Blume (Newtown, Pa./Pennsbury), Coleman, Roberts and Edwards won in 1:48.03.